I've heard the verb "macgyver" used several times and googled it-

http://members.aol.com/ichilites/editions/july24.html

The word has positive or even laudatory connotations I feel, while "jury-rig" in my experience often does not, as evidenced by the alteration "jerry-rig".

I propose a new verb, to jordi-rig. Jordi-rig: to solve an imaginary engineering problem by reciting meaningless pseudo-scientific terms, pushing a button painted onto a piece of cardboard, and waiting for the computer animation team to draw our attention away from the bogosity of the whole scenario by dazzling us with special effects.

-CB

They speak of having a "supervisor knob" on scientific equipment, the premise being that only the grad students actually know what's goin on with the experiment, but the supervisor drops by occasionally to turn the knobs and hum thoughtfully at the results. Of course, upon examination of the back of the panel, you would find it wasn't wired to anything at all. I've also heard "boss knob" or something along those lines.

"supervisor knob" not wired to anything at all
in similar vein, the guy who rings the central heating maintenance and informs them that the thermostat in the hall "is just for my wife to play with; the real one is in the cupboard under the stairs".
Rod